HF 048 Hank and Rune Visit the Citadel
8:39:01 PM Josh: Ok, you guys head off to William's office. 8:39:40 PM Josh: You take Kai? 8:39:52 PM Hank: ((Yes )) 8:40:06 PM Rune: Rune will go with him, clinging and eyes screwed shut as usual. 8:40:16 PM Rune: What did you really talk to Jelly about? 8:41:41 PM Hank: So no longer going with the relationship idea? 8:42:13 PM Rune: I was trying to goad you into telling me what you were really doing, silly. 8:43:33 PM Hank: A simple request, that is all. 8:43:58 PM Rune: ... of a crime lord you hate? 8:45:18 PM Hank: There are levels of trust. Trust me when I say that only one person is at risk if it doesn't work. 8:45:59 PM Rune: But you don't trust me enough to tell me. 8:48:22 PM Hank: I trust that you might not agree with me unless I have more than just suspicions. 8:49:13 PM Rune: It's because I'm a tiefling, isn't it. 8:50:50 PM Hank: No it isn't. It's because the rest of the group would probably think my plan is the height of idiocy. 8:51:34 PM Rune: Everybody always denies it, but people do trust tieflings less. 8:51:53 PM Rune: So you never ever know if they're lying to themselves and you always have to just wonder. 8:52:39 PM Hank: How about this I promise to tell you everything before the vampire attack happens. 8:53:03 PM Rune: All right. Just... be careful, all right? 8:54:57 PM Hank: Just think on one question for me. How much do you trust William? 8:55:23 PM Hank: Being careful went out the window pretty shortly after this group was formed. 8:55:54 PM Rune: Probably not as much as you think I do. He's our employer and we made a deal, though. 8:56:18 PM Josh: About now, you begin approaching the Citadel. 8:56:45 PM Rune: And he hasn't hung us out to dry yet. 8:57:02 PM Hank: Yet being the keyword. 8:57:25 PM Rune: I'm more concerned that he watched some of us as children. 8:57:43 PM Rune: Which obviously indicates he knows something important he's not telling us. 8:59:02 PM Hank: And my deal with 'Jelly' is about trying to get some of that information. 8:59:15 PM Rune: Oh. 8:59:39 PM Rune: Well, I'm just going to keep doing what we're doing. 8:59:51 PM Rune: Grandmother said being good isn't about being nice, it's about taking risks to help others. 9:00:34 PM Rune: And it's a choice you have to make every single day. 9:01:28 PM Hank: Yeah well this is a risk but I think it is more helpful than harmful as long as it succeeds. 9:02:20 PM Josh: So, you guys arrive. 9:02:44 PM Rune: So is being trusting. As long as we're both being good, it's all good. 9:02:51 PM Rune: Rune looks for her boss. 9:03:10 PM Hank: Hank heads for Williams office. 9:03:39 PM Josh: You arrive at William's office. He invites you in. 9:03:58 PM Rune: Are you evil? 9:04:04 PM Josh: William: "No." 9:04:15 PM Rune: Good. 9:04:25 PM Rune: Are you allergic to strawberries? 9:04:39 PM Josh: William: "...I don't think so." 9:05:02 PM Rune: I'm going to bake a cake, and grandmother's recipes can be a bit... funny. 9:05:27 PM Rune: ... I can probably use raspberries instead. 9:05:40 PM Rune: Anyway, we need to get into that creepy old mansion and blow it up. 9:05:48 PM Rune: Is that all right? 9:07:09 PM Josh: William: "...what?" 9:07:41 PM Hank: Can we have access to Sacred Stone manor for the next week or two? 9:08:14 PM Rune: ((Can tree people get ulcers? LET'S FIND OUT.)) 9:08:20 PM Hank: For Non demolition purposes, Rune. 9:08:58 PM Josh: William: "...I mean...you're technically law enforcement, your badges should already grant you access." 9:09:36 PM Rune: I still think we should blow it up. 9:10:58 PM Rune: ... will we get in trouble if we blow it up? 9:13:30 PM Josh: William: "...potentially. I mean, I don't think anyone will mind, it's long abandoned...but people don't really like it when you just blow up buildings." 9:14:43 PM Hank: Is there any way we can get a copy of the guard patrol schedule in that area of the city for the next two weeks? 9:15:49 PM Rune: Sometimes I feel like the entire universe is conspiring to stop me from casting fireball. 9:18:05 PM Josh: William: "...once I have it written, I can send it to you. And I can prepare a cover story, should Sacred Stone Manor...suddenly erupt." 9:18:53 PM Hank: Thank you very much for your time, William. We should let you get back to work. 9:19:17 PM Josh: William: "I do need to do that. Have preparations to make for the Guild Hearings." 9:19:27 PM Rune: Who's left as candidate? 9:19:34 PM Rune: I think you should make Quill do it. 9:19:46 PM Hank: When are they starting? 9:20:10 PM Josh: William: "First, Quill's not a guild member. Second, I'm not a guild member, so I can't make any recommendations for nominations." 9:20:28 PM Rune: Only technically. 9:21:57 PM Josh: William: "We should be holding the hearings in three days, although, with our luck, they'll be pushed back AGAIN. I believe the dragonborn sent in a replacement candidate. Not sure what her name was. She's around with one of her guards, somewhere." 9:22:51 PM Rune: That will be a nonstarter, what with the murder and all. 9:23:42 PM Josh: William: "Probably. I believe she was chosen with that in mind. I understand she is quite inexperienced." 9:24:28 PM Hank: And where are the hearings being held? 9:24:51 PM Josh: William: "Here, in the main antechamber on the ground floor. A space has been arranged." 9:25:31 PM Josh: William: "Rune is the only one required to come. You may inform the others that they are free to excuse themselves." 9:25:36 PM Josh: William: "I would if I could." 9:25:55 PM Rune: Rune nods. 9:26:01 PM Rune: Why do you do this, anyway? 9:26:20 PM Josh: William: "Do what?" 9:26:34 PM Rune: Work. Well, this type of work. 9:27:04 PM Josh: William: "I've done it for eighty years. What do you expect me to do? Retire?" 9:28:29 PM Rune: I don't know, take up beekeeping and write a book about asteroids? 9:28:56 PM Rune: I was curious. I suppose it's going to be Ravensgard for the witchfinders now. 9:30:02 PM Josh: William: "I understand there's something of a split there. Underbarrow wants him, Argesh doesn't, Saheera's a mystery. Too new to know what she'll do." 9:30:23 PM Rune: What happened to his eye, anyway? 9:30:23 PM Josh: William: "The dwarven fellow...I forget his name, he usually abstains from such decisions." 9:31:11 PM Josh: William: "I don't know. Been that way since I met him." 9:32:02 PM Rune: He does seem unlikely to be corrupt. 9:32:14 PM Rune: On the other hand, he also seems likely to have an entire forest of logs up his butt. 9:32:37 PM Josh: William: "A charming way of putting it...not inaccurate, though." 9:32:51 PM Rune: Big ones. 9:33:14 PM Josh: William: "If I may ask, any thoughts on who you want for Guild Leader?" 9:34:29 PM Rune: If I didn't already have a job, I'd pick me. 9:35:05 PM Rune: None of them are good candidates. The one who called me an old man at the station is probably the best because he won't try to play politics. 9:35:38 PM Josh: William smiles. "Well, I guess that's what these hearings are for." 9:36:44 PM Josh: William: "I need to get back to work. Good luck with Sacred Stone Manor...whatever you need there." 9:36:51 PM Rune: Rune nods. 9:37:10 PM Rune: We'll let you know afterward of course. A full report. Also you'll probably hear the explosions. 9:37:10 PM Hank: Thank you , have a good day William. 9:38:05 PM Hank: No explosions , everything will be perfectly fine and calm. I hope. 9:38:30 PM Josh: William: "I'm not holding my breath." 9:38:38 PM Josh: William returns to his work. 9:39:06 PM Rune: Rune waves and heads out with Hank. 9:40:09 PM Josh: As you exit, you walk into someone. Someone big. Someone armored. Someone scaly and red. 9:40:19 PM Josh: Joxra: "Hank?" 9:41:13 PM Hank: Hello Joxra 9:41:31 PM Josh: Joxra: "Um...I wasn't really expecting to see you here." 9:41:49 PM Hank: We were just leaving don't worry. 9:42:06 PM Hank: Hank will continue to leave. 9:42:33 PM Rune: Hank! 9:43:05 PM Josh: Voice: "What's the hold up, here?" Down below you see a young girl, maybe 12, standing beside Joxra. 9:43:20 PM Josh: She is also a dragonborn, gold in scale, wearing a fancy pink robe. 9:43:30 PM Rune: Rune waves. 9:43:56 PM Rune: Rune to Joxra, "You'll have to excuse him, he's been acting kind of strangely lately." 9:44:37 PM Josh: Joxra: "It's ok. We weren't, like...a real thing, or anything. Um, it's nice seeing you both." 9:45:08 PM Rune: It's nice to see you too. Who's the girl with the beautiful robes? 9:45:29 PM Josh: Joxra: "Oh...uh...my charge." 9:45:42 PM Rune: You're bodyguarding her? 9:45:55 PM Josh: Girl: "I am Malrina S'rith! And I'm gonna whip these Witch Hunters into shape!" 9:46:56 PM Josh: Joxra: "She's...she's the replacement for Jarqin's candidacy." 9:47:18 PM Rune: Oh! I'm sorry, I thought you were younger. I'm not good at telling ages. 9:48:16 PM Josh: Malrina: "I'm 13 this year. By the laws of the empire, that makes me old enough to assume a position within the guild." 9:48:33 PM Josh: Joxra: "...usually that position is an apprenticeship." 9:48:44 PM Rune: What would you change about them? 9:49:25 PM Josh: Malrina: "I'll toughen them up! Make them fight harder and faster!" 9:50:09 PM Rune: I think they fight well enough already. 9:50:26 PM Rune: Looser or tighter policies with regard to magical items, sentients and the like? 9:51:07 PM Josh: Malrina: "...oh...uh...I'll learn about that from my lieutenants." 9:52:12 PM Rune: Hmm. 9:52:44 PM Rune: You should probably do some research on that, would be my suggestion. I'm Rune, by the way. With AEGIS. 9:56:23 PM Josh: Malrina holds out her hand. 9:56:37 PM Josh: She lays the fingers flat, like she expects them to be kissed. 9:56:53 PM Rune: Rune kisses her hand. She's not great with social cues anyway. 9:57:15 PM Josh: Joxra: "Uh...should you go catch Hank?" 9:57:23 PM Rune: Probably. 9:57:27 PM Rune: Good luck! 9:57:34 PM Rune: Rune hurries after Hank. 9:57:35 PM Josh: Joxra: "You too." 9:58:36 PM Josh: Hank is moving slowly, you catch up to him fairly easy. 9:59:08 PM Rune: You shouldn't treat people like that. 10:00:20 PM Hank: Hm... oh... hi Rune. 10:00:48 PM Rune: ... are you all right? 10:01:30 PM Hank: I am fine just thinking. I can walk back to the prison, you can take Kai if you want. 10:02:00 PM Rune: I can't possibly go on that thing alone. 10:02:10 PM Rune: .. I mean, that horse. Sorry, Kai. 10:02:16 PM Rune: Thinking about what? 10:02:37 PM Josh: Kai whinnies at Rune. 10:03:36 PM Hank: Choices, decisions, mistakes, whether or not I am doing the right thing. 10:04:36 PM Rune: ... what are you doing? 10:04:43 PM Hank: I just need to be alone for a while. I would get a cab for you but I don't think I have the money. 10:05:35 PM Rune: I have money, don't worry. ... I'm just really really concerned about you. 10:06:10 PM Rune: You were just really rude, borderline actually nasty, to a woman you slept with. That's... not like you. 10:09:11 PM Hank: I did say mistakes didn't I. 10:09:53 PM Rune: People aren't mistakes, Hank. 10:10:58 PM Hank: No but my decisions and choices earlier are. Look I will give you a ride back to the prison and then go for a walk ALONE. Ok? 10:11:14 PM Rune: I'll take a taxi. Just... be careful. 10:11:28 PM Hank: Of course 10:11:35 PM Rune: Rune immediately turns around and starts walking the other direction, looking for a taxi. 10:13:36 PM Hank: Hank walks in an opposite direction.